Japan submitted a new proposal to Iran for 20-percent enriched uranium, Iranian Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee member Zohra Ilahiyan was quoted as saying by the Iklna news agency.

Tokyo expressed its intention to mediate the issue of Iran's nuclear program and proposed to sell enriched uranium to Iran, which was discussed at a meeting with Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani during his Japan visit.

She said Larijani welcomed Japan's proposal and invited the leaders of Japan's Atomic Energy Organization and representatives of Japanese Parliament to visit the country to see the nuclear facilities.

During Larijani's meting with Japanese officials, the building of several nuclear plants in Iran by Japanese specialists was discussed.

In December 2009, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) offered Iran to transfer 1,200 kg of 3.5-percent enriched uranium to Russia and receive a 20-percent enriched uranium from France in order to provide fuel for the Tehran nuclear reactor. Iran has not given a concrete answer to this proposal.

The Tehran laboratory reactor was built 40 years ago by the United States and its main function is to produce medicine.

Iran started uranium enrichment Feb.9 and the country has a capacity to enrich uranium to 20-percent in the amount of 3-5 kilograms per month, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Director Ali Akbar Salehi said. In his speech Feb.11, he said that Iran will increase the level of production.

The United States and other western countries have accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons for military purposes under the guise of a peaceful nuclear energy program. Tehran denies the charges, saying that its nuclear program is aimed solely at meeting the country's electricity needs. The U.N. Security Council adopted five resolutions in connection with the suspension of Iran's nuclear program. Three involve the use of economic sanctions on Iran.